THEY GET THE CELEBRANT UP TO THE LECTERN. THEIR NOTES ARE
PLACED ON IT. IT IS THE FUNERAL ORATION INSTEAD OF THE WEDDING CEREMONY.

Sybil

Oh, we need someone to give the bride away. Is there anyone here you’d
like to give you away, dear? Is your father here? No? We’ll have to
find you another one. Excuse me. Are you a father? Would you mind giving
the bride away? Thank you so much.

SYBIL AND MANUEL GET THE BRIDE AND GIVER-AWAY INTO PLACE.

Sybil

Bridesmaids and Matron’s of Honour? Over here. Now you can all see
how it works. Everybody’s in their proper places. Alright, I’ll
be with the bride when she comes in, just to make sure things go smoothly.
You can manage the rest of this by yourself, Basil, can’t you?

Basil

Yes, yes, yes, of course I can.

SYBIL EXITS

Basil

Right first we que the music. Manuel, que the music. Manuel.

SYBIL RE-ENTERS

Sybil

He’s driving the car, Basil.

Basil

What? He’s what? He’s supposed to be doing the music.

Sybil

Use your brains. He can’t drive the car and do the music at the same
time. You do the music.

SYBIL EXITS.

Basil

Oh, yes, right, I’ll do the music. And open the doors and everything
else as I do every day of my life while everyone else just lazes around
and does nothing. Right. Music.

BASIL HITS THE BUTTON AND THE WEDDING MARCH BLARES OUT.
THE BRIDE ENTERS THROUGH THE DOOR WITH SYBIL.

Basil

This is what they call ‘Car Door’....

THE CAR DRIVES IN. BASIL OPENS THE CAR DOOR WITH A FLOURISH.

Basil

Ladies and gentlemen, the bride. Dah dah

HE LOOKS INSIDE THE CAR AND DOUBLETAKES. HE CHECKS THE
FRONT SEAT AS MANUEL EXITS THE CAR.

Basil

Where’s the bride?

Manuel

Que?

Basil

The bride, stupid. Where is the bride?

Manuel

Que.

Basil

What have you done with the bride, you stupid moron?

Manuel

Oh, si. Is bride.

MANUEL INDICATES SYBIL AND THE BRIDE.

Basil

Well what are you doing over there? You were supposed to enter in the car.
What is going on?

Sybil

Basil, no one told us the bride had to enter in the car. We thought she
was just supposed to walk in and we’d simulate the car.

Basil

Simulate? Who said anything about simulating anything? Right! We’ll
just have to do it again. Drive the car out again, Manuel.

Manuel

Que

Basil

You, hombre, Manuel. El reverso car o.

Manuel

Oh, si, drive out.

MANUEL GETS IN AND STARTS THE CAR.

Basil

Wait. Wait. Don’t take the car out yet. Get in the car, you stupid
woman.

BASIL GETS THE BRIDE AND THE BRIDESMAIDS INTO THE CAR.
MANUEL REVERSES OUT AND BASIL CLOSES THE DOOR.

Basil

Right, we’ll just have to do it all again and this time we’ll
get it right! Music Manuel.

Sybil

He’s outside.

Basil

Ohhhhhh.

BASIL RUNS TO THE CD PLAYER AND HITS THE BUTTON.

THE FUNERAL MARCH BLARES OUT. HE IS HALFWAY BACK TO DO
THE DOOR WHEN HE REALISES IT IS THE WRONG TUNE. HE TURNS BACK.

Basil

It’s the wrong tune. How could it be the wrong tune? It was the wedding
march just a minute ago.

HE FUMBLES AROUND WITH THE CONTROLS AND EVENTUALLY STOPS
IT. HE FUMBLES SOME MORE.

Basil

I can’t find it. I can’t find the rotten wedding march. Where
is Wagner when you really need him? Right, this is a crisis and we all have
to pull together. You’ll all have to do the wedding march for me.
Let’s all have a practice. Ta ta ta ta. Well come on, on the count
of three. One, two.... You’ll have to conduct, Sybil.... Three. Ta
ta ta da.

HE OPENS THE DOOR AS SYBIL CONDUCTS THE AUDIENCE IN THE
WEDDING MARCH. BASIL ONCE AGAIN OPENS THE DOOR OF THE CAR AND HAULS THE
BRIDE OUT.

Basil

Yes, that’s enough music. The car is here. Well, come on. Let’s
get you up the aisle and married. For goodness sake, at least try to look
happy. My God, she’s drunk, Sybil.

Sybil

Mmmmm. She has had one or two, but she looks alright to me. Come on dear.
Take no notice of my husband. Let’s get up the aisle and get you married.
Can we have the real wedding march now, Basil?

Basil

Right! Manuel, you know how to work this thing. Wedding march, pronto.

MANUEL HITS THE BUTTON.

THE FUNERAL MARCH COMES ON AGAIN.

Basil

No, no, no. Not that one. Wrong one. Stupido.

BASIL HITS MANUEL.

Basil

Get away from there and let me at it. Where’s the wedding march?
You know, Wagner?

Manuel

Que? Is Mr. Wagner here? Any Wagner?

Basil

Oh, never mind. It must be in this other one. Which button do you press?
Why do they make these things so complicated? I can’t get it to work,
Sybil.

SYBIL MOVES TO THE CD PLAYER AND HITS THE BUTTON.

THE WEDDING MARCH PLAYS

Basil

Well come on. Off you go. What are you waiting for an invitation?

HE HUSTLES THE BRIDE AND COMPANY FORWARD.

Basil

Right here we are. Get on with it then.

THE CELEBRANT BEGINS TO READ. IT IS A FUNERAL ORATION.

Will they bury the bride? Will Basil ever
learn how to use a cd player?